Rose Weasley and The Beast of the Black Lake, year 2

Quidditch, Beaters, and Brutes

It took nearly a week for Rose to get back into the swing of things. Classes were noticeably more difficult. Defense Against the Dark Arts for one, Dalbert had been teaching the first-year students spells that were normally held until the third year This year, he had put away the wands and had begun teaching them about magical beasts. Elvy Balimp, a second-year Gryffindor, had claimed that this change in teaching tactics was because Dalbert had been on vacation in the Amazon and was attacked by several magical beasts including a Lethifold which had nearly killed him. These claims held little water except for the peculiar burn marks around his neck which he refused to divulge. But he had begun warning them against magical creatures and had even brought in live specimens that if were dangerous to hold, he would stun and allow their frozen bodies to be passed around the room. Everyone enjoyed this approach on the dangerous creatures, everyone except for Max. He was disturbed when holding its motionless body as its eyes spun around in its head to figure out what was going on or why it couldn't move. He felt sorry for the beast, and Rose had, at one point when passing around a Kappa, taken his wand to keep him from unfreezing the poor thing.

She knew Max loved animals. After he arrived back to the library from detention in the owlery for one, he was covered head to foot in owl dropping, but still looking as satisfied as ever, excitedly telling Rose as she covered her nose due to the smell, about how the owls had thanked him by nuzzling his face. Scorpius, who had come to the library to ask Al for the password to the Slytherin common room, did not look pleased, nor appreciative toward the owl's gratitude. He was heaving with anger, looking and smelling worse than Max, having slipped many times. He stormed from the room as Al laughed and was cursing owls, birds, anything with wings and creature life, at the same time, pulled handfuls of feathers from his robes, hair, pants, and mouth.

Rose wasn't offended, but Hugo rarely hung out with her and Max. They nearly never got to see each other outside of the common room. After hours when they were chilling or catching up on homework, she would try to talk to him, ask him about how his year is going, but he would always seem too preoccupied to give her much attention. He had finally made a guy friend, Obadiah Mosiah, an Arabic boy with shaggy black hair and always eager eyes. They were always busy, not just around Rose. Hugo had started a muggle club with Obadiah, the three pretty girls, Elvy, and Calvert so far. They would scrounge up and order muggle items and have deep discussions about what they are, and what purpose they serve in the corner of the common room at a small table with the most bizarre assortment of items cluttering the area. Louis was a different story altogether. He had developed a friendship with Abercrombie Boot and was never seen without his camera. A first year Ravenclaw girl by the name of Olly Garner, Cian Garner's younger sister, was often seen with the two boys and always had her nose stuck in a book as Louis used his school books to prop his feet on while editing photos. He was, in all honesty... cool. By comparison to the rest of the family, and thought as such by the rest of his house.

"Weasley!" Seven heads in the great hall looked up as Enoc Hubert came striding up to the Gryffindor table and looked for a mane of curly red hair amongst the many Weasleys. "Uh, that Weasley," he emphasized, pointing to Rose.

Rose looked up from her French toast confusedly as Enoc's sweaty form pressed closer with a look of frustration on his face.

"What are you doing? Why aren't you at tryouts? You're not bailing on the team, are you?"

"Of course not!" she exclaimed. "Why are we having tryouts? This is the best team we've had in a decade!"

"We're not allowed to cancel tryouts anymore. Something about it not being fair for the students who want a shot. Come on! We're about to try for chasers!"

Rose scrambled over Max, forgetting that she could step out from the bench, causing him to spill his cereal on his lap. She ran from the hall, Enoc right beside her. She felt so stupid for thinking that they would keep the same team, especially after Rocky's lecture last year about how that was not okay.